HCM City (VNS/VNA) – Ho Chi Minh City's health sector will take steps to enhance its medical capacity on Con Dao Island after the merger of HCM City and provinces of Binh Duong and Ba Ria-Vung Tau, according to the city’s Department of Health.
The department on July 3 held a meeting with leading medical experts to discuss measures to improve capacity for Con Dao Military-Civilian Medical Centre on Con Dao Island.
The centre not only serves residents living on the island, but also receives tens of thousands of visitors every year, according to Assoc Prof Dr Tang Chi Thuong, director of the department.
Despite being newly built and equipped with modern medical devices in recent years, a shortage of medical professionals has resulted in a long-standing concern about medical emergencies of locals, tourists and investors.
At the meeting, the department outlined a two-phase plan to improve the medical capacity on the island.
In the first phase, skilled doctors with specialities such as obstetrics, surgery, internal medicine, and paediatrics will be rotated to work at Con Dao Military-Civilian Medical Centre while remote consultations and online continuous education for medical staff at Con Dao Military - Civilian Medical Centre will also be implemented.
During this phase, starting in the third quarter, the focus will be capacity building for obstetrics, trauma, internal medicine, and pediatric emergency care to meet the common medical care needs of locals and visitors on the island.
In addition, the establishment of a blood bank to ensure safe emergency care in obstetrics, surgery and critical situations is also a priority.
In the second phase, the department will develop a project with strategic policies for health care services on the island and build a general hospital with the professional support of major hospitals in the city.
The department will soon organise a trip to Con Dao Island with the participation of leading experts to assess the situation and develop a suitable, feasible and sustainable implementation plan.
The city’s healthcare after the merger would not only expand geographically but also expand in service to bring quality treatment to the remote island, Thuong said./.
VNA
